title: Prevalence of arterial hypertension in Serbia: PAHIS study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Arterial hypertension (AH) is the most common cardiovascular disease risk factor, affecting between 30 and 50% of the adult population in developed countries. A steady increase of the prevalence of AH by about 60% is expected by year 2025.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serbian Society of Hypertension conducted a prevalence study from February to May 2012 on a sample of 3878 adult respondents. The study included 2066 women (53.3%) and 1812 men (46.7%). Average age was 48.89 ± 17.48 years. Most participants resided in urban areas (2956 people, 76.2%), whereas 922 resided in rural areas (23.8%).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of AH in Serbia is 42.7%. Hypertension is more frequently diagnosed among women (53.3%), than among men (46.7%). One thousand, four hundred and twelve respondents were previously diagnosed and treated for hypertension. The estimated awareness of the presence of AH was 42.99% (i.e. 40.00% among male and 45.41% among female participants). Out of all diagnosed cases of hypertension, 390 persons (27.7%) have well regulated blood pressure values, whereas 1022 persons (72.3%) do not have their blood pressure under control.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serbia belongs to countries with a high prevalence of AH. A poor control of AH may be explained in view of socioeconomic problems. High prevalence of AH may indicate a remarkably high cardiovascular disease mortality in Serbia.
authors.affiliation: aClinic for Internal Disease InterMedica Nis, Nis bSchool of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Multidisciplinary Center for Polyclinic Diagnostics, Assessment and Treatment of Blood Pressure Disorders, Clinic for Cardiology, Clinical Centre of Serbia cInstitute of Hygiene and Medical Ecology dUniversity Hospital Medical Center 'Bezanijska kosa', Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade eUniversity Kragujevac Medical School, Kragujevac fInstitute Niska Banja, Nis gOutpatient Clinic 'dr Bastac', Zajecar, Serbia.
authors.forename: Dragan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lovic
authors.forename: Vesna
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Stojanov
authors.forename: Branko
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jakovljević
authors.forename: Mirjana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krotin
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jurisic
authors.forename: Dragan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Djordjevic
authors.forename: Katarina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Paunović
authors.forename: Marija
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zdravkovic
authors.forename: Dejan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Simonovic
authors.forename: Dusan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bastac
authors.forename: Banko
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lovic
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001364:Awareness; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D055771:Serbia / Q000453:epidemiology; D017678:Sex Distribution